Brakes Wheels 1st Gen Tires ABS Failure

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by GeorgeCo, Sep 11, 2010.

Tags:
Most Liked Posts
  1. GeorgeCo

    GeorgeCo Site Sponsor
    Motoring Alliance Sponsor Supporting Member

    Oct 29, 2009
    253
    38
    28
    Male
    Motorer
    Mt. Airy, MD
    Ratings:
    +38 / 0 / -0
    #1 GeorgeCo, Sep 11, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2010
    Anybody have this failure before? I was driving at the track last week, braking hard into turn 1 at Summit Point Main Circuit, the car felt unbalanced trailbraking. I thought someone had dropped some fluid on the track and didn't notice my ABS warning light on the tach or the tire rotation warning on the speedo until I was braking after the chute into turn 5. I locked up the left front tire, spinning the car with 3 wheels-off. Fortunately, turn 5 is a 180 degree left-hander and I spun to the left, so I put it back in gear and only lost a couple of car-lengths to the Audi S4 I was chasing. I stopped the car in the pits, turned off the engine, and when it came back on, both lights were out, and the car performed fine for two more sessions.

    The car is an '04 Cooper S with 135K miles (almost 5K track miles). Reading elsewhere on the web I've seen several threads indicating failed ABS pulse generators as the first point of likely failure. I have JCW front brakes, the heat shields are still in place, and my brakes weren't that hot yet (early in the session.)
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTwFbBE69VU"]Video[/ame]
    You can see by how quickly I'm closing on the Audi in Turn 5 that my brakes just aren't working. I've heard that when the pulse generator fails, you just lose ABS in the effected wheel -- not a fun experience. I'd much rather it when out everywhere, I can deal with that. I ended up flat spotting the front left.
     
  2. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 5, 2009
    3,378
    3,368
    113
    Ratings:
    +3,369 / 0 / -0
    #2 cct1, Sep 12, 2010
    That stinks, since the ABS should help keep you from flat spotting when its working properly; for it to actually make you flat spot (and spin) is like a kick in the nuts.

    My ABS has been acting up too. Recently had the car checked from top to bottom, and under very hard braking (I was having some other issues with the brakes, non-ABS related), the speed sensors where showing different speeds for different wheels--and they were way off. Haven't gotten it sorted out yet, but it really hasn't caused any issues on the track yet (the car brakes just fine in a straight line at threshold--used to have some squirreliness, but that's all gone with some suspension changes). What I'd like to do is just disable it altogether, but I'm not sure how to go about that. Not too excited with replacing the ABS module for 2 grand on what's more or less a track toy.
     
  3. Dr Obnxs

    Dr Obnxs New Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    1,158
    3
    0
    A Man of Wit and Charm! (Just ask my wife!)
    Woodside, CA, up in the hills and trees.
    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    #3 Dr Obnxs, Sep 12, 2010
    I thought

    that when the ABS system failed, it turned itself off. But it's possible (I guess) for errant readings from the wheel speed sensors to not be seen as a failure and give erratic results, I honestly don't know. If you want to disable it completely, pull the fuse or a single wheel speed sensor...

    Matt
     
  4. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 5, 2009
    3,378
    3,368
    113
    Ratings:
    +3,369 / 0 / -0
    #4 cct1, Sep 12, 2010
    Is there a fuse for a single wheel speed sensor that doesn't affect anything else? I was under the impression that there were some other electronics involved, or it set warning lights off--if not, that's probably the easiest solution. Even if it set a warning light off, I guess that's not really a big issue, just put the fuse back in and it's gone...Right?
     

Share This Page